Restaurant Unstoppable Episode 1246: Jody Feiss, COO at Cerboni Services

Release Date: January 19, 2026
Podcast Host: Eric Cacciatore, with co-host Jason Carrey
Guest: Jody Feiss, Chief Operating Officer, Cerboni Services

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, Eric Cacciatore and Jason Carrey sit down with Jody Feiss, COO of Cerboni Services, to dive into what it takes to build and sustain success in the restaurant industry. The conversation weaves through Jody’s personal journey from restaurant floor to boardroom, the critical importance of leadership, culture, and hospitality, the nuanced value of financial services tailored to hospitality, and the future trends shaping independent restaurants.

Listeners are treated to actionable advice, candid perspectives, and a deep look at how modern restaurateurs can leverage passion, systems, and specialized partners—like Cerboni—to ensure growth and resilience in a challenging marketplace.

Key Themes & Insights

1. The Bedrock Mantra: Passion and Pennies

(03:51)
Jody’s guiding principle for hospitality professionals is simple but powerful:

“It’s passion and pennies. If we all share in the passion of what the industry is and we all watch our pennies, it’s a successful one.”
— Jody Feiss [03:51]

• “Passion” refers to deep love for the industry and hospitality.
• “Pennies” underscores the importance of financial discipline.
• Restaurant success, he argues, is about harmonizing both.

2. Hospitality as Core Human DNA

(04:58–06:58)
Hospitality should be a non-negotiable industry standard, encompassing generosity, respect, and service. But Jason and Jody take it deeper:

“[Hospitality is] so close to our DNA and our human nature, but we just kind of take it for granted. We don’t even see it as being critical as to who we are.”
— Jason Carrey [06:54]

• Human beings are “tribal” and built for connection, making hospitality fundamental, not ancillary.
• It’s about ensuring every guest and employee feels valued—creating community.

3. Jody’s Journey: From Busser to COO

(08:33–17:24)
Jody traces his path from bussing tables in high school to taking on executive roles:

• Started in Deer Park, TX, 1995.
• Never left the industry, working through college as a bartender.
• Rose through ranks at iconic concepts like Texadelphia and Schiller Del Grande (Cafe Annie, Cafe Express, The Grove).
• Emphasized continual learning—studied Business and Psychology at UT Austin, blending operational know-how with people skills.

4. Psychology + Business = Leadership Edge

(11:50–13:29)
Jody notes the “perfect marriage” between business skills and psychology:

“It’s running businesses and understanding people… not only from an employee standpoint, but even from a demographic, a client standpoint. It’s understanding tendencies.” — Jody Feiss [13:13]

• Motivation and personality management are keys to leading diverse teams and driving organizational success.

5. Creating Environments Where People Care

(19:38–24:17)
Asked about his leadership signature, Jody spotlights:

• Being a great listener; accepting honest feedback.
• Building cultures of respect and strong relationships.
• “Getting people to believe in your vision” is the essence of great management [21:31].
• Motivated, respected people create value and bring others up the ladder.

6. Growth Redefined: Not Just Bigger, But Better

(26:29–28:04)
Growth is holistic, not just quantitative:

“If you can be better the day you left than the day you came, that says a lot about the organization.” — Jody Feiss [25:24]

• Focus on internal systems, consistency, personal and team growth—outward expansion will follow naturally.
• Revenue and unit growth are byproducts of people development and strong systems.

7. The Cerboni Difference: Restaurant-Focused Financial Services

(33:50–35:31)

• Cerboni offers accounting, tax, payroll, consulting, and inventory services but is unique because it's tailored specifically for restaurants.
• The team includes former restaurant operators and chefs to ensure practical, operations-focused solutions.

“When you go to other CPAs or accounting firms, you’re not getting operational direction, you’re getting data. Here we take data and interpret it and give you a path and resource.” — Jody Feiss [35:26]

8. Fractional Executives: The Bridge for Independents

(47:10–48:07)

• Jody and Jason see the future of independent restaurants relying on “fractional” leadership—CFOs, CMOs, COOs who serve multiple clients rather than reside on one payroll.
• This model allows smaller groups to access high-level expertise without the prohibitive cost of full-time executive hires.

9. Tech & AI: Embracing the Future, Not Replacing Hospitality

(48:07–54:46)

• Jody is enthusiastic about artificial intelligence for integrating restaurant data and providing actionable dashboards.
• The emphasis: Let operators focus on what they do best—building relationships and experience—while specialists manage technology platforms and turn data into action.

“Tell me what I need to know… That’s exciting. It puts more in an operator’s hands so they can make great decisions.” — Jody Feiss [49:11]

• Cerboni is agnostic to platforms, working across POS/accounting/payroll systems for custom-tailored solutions, and is well-versed in enterprise tools like Restaurant365, Restaurant Systems Pro, and MarginEdge.

10. Industry Trends & The Future: Deep Service and Transformation Economy

(55:34–59:40)

• Jody predicts a cyclical return to “deep service”—full, immersive, hospitality-rich experiences.
• Jason references Joseph Pine’s concept of the “transformation economy,” where restaurants act as agents of change—not just for guests, but for employees and communities.

“As the industry progresses… the more successful operators are having businesses very aligned to deep service.”
— Jody Feiss [57:14]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It’s better to be consistent than good.”
  — Jody Feiss [27:23]
• “A leader is a dealer of hope.”
  — Professor David Mazer (shared by Jason Carrey) [24:17]
• “Your success is my success. Right.”
  — Jody Feiss [33:44]
• “Siboney is a dealer of hope for me, if I’m being honest.”
  — Jason Carrey [35:31]
• “Having managers do what they’re supposed to do, which is all a part of the experience… I think it’s an incredible value.”
  — Jody Feiss [45:58]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Episode opening, introductions
  [00:00-03:29]

• Success mantra: Passion & Pennies
  [03:51]

• Defining and deepening hospitality
  [04:58–07:48]

• Early career and learning the industry
  [08:33–13:29]

• On motivation, leadership, and people
  [19:01–24:17]

• Growth and consistency redefined
  [26:29–28:04]

• Cerboni’s genesis and unique niche
  [33:50–35:31]

• Fractional executives: Future for independents
  [47:10–48:07]

• AI, tech tools, and data-driven decisions
  [48:07–54:46]

• The industry’s future: Deep service and transformation
  [55:34–59:40]

• Advice and recognition of diligent operators
  [61:56–62:41]

Final Insights & Takeaways

• For Restaurateurs: Combine passion, relentless financial discipline, and a commitment to serving both teams and guests.
• For Leaders: Focus on listening, respect-driven culture, and actionable feedback to inspire deep care among your staff.
• For Independent Operators: Partner with restaurant-focused specialists. Leverage technology and fractional executives to compete with larger groups and keep your eyes on the hospitality heart of your business.
• For the Industry’s Future: The pendulum is swinging back to immersive, transformational guest and staff experiences—deep service matters more than ever.

Learn More

• Cerboni Services: cerboni.com | (281) 888-2413 (mention Restaurant Unstoppable for a 20% discount on your first month)
• Follow the podcast: Restaurant Unstoppable Show Notes
• Recommended reading:
  • Experience Economy by Joseph Pine
  • Transformation Economy (forthcoming)

This summary excludes all ad reads, musical intros/outros, and non-content chatter. For complete tools/resources mentioned in this episode, visit RestaurantUnstoppable.com.